What is Session Duration?
TL;DR
The average time visitors spend on your website during a single session. Longer sessions generally indicate engaging content, though this varies by site type, a quick local business lookup might be 30 seconds while a research session could be 10 minutes. In Google Analytics 4, session duration is measured differently than Universal Analytics; GA4 focuses more on Engagement Rate (GA4) and engaged sessions. Low session duration combined with high Bounce Rate suggests visitors aren't finding what they expected. Improve session duration through compelling content, clear navigation, Internal Linking to related content, and matching Search Intent. Video content typically increases time on page significantly. Track session duration alongside conversion metrics, a shorter session that converts is better than a long session that bounces.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Session Duration
What's a good average session duration?
Highly variable. Local business sites: 1-2 minutes is fine. Content sites: 3-5+ minutes indicates engagement. The goal isn't maximum duration, it's enough time for visitors to accomplish their goal and take action.
How do I increase session duration?
Add engaging content (videos, interactive elements), improve internal linking to related pages, make content scannable and easy to consume, ensure fast page speed, and match content to search intent so visitors want to stay.
Is longer session duration always better?
Not necessarily. A 30-second session where someone finds your phone number and calls is better than a 5-minute session where they leave frustrated. Consider session duration alongside conversion data.
Why is my session duration so short?
Common causes: content doesn't match expectations (from search or ads), poor page speed frustrating visitors, confusing navigation, content that doesn't engage, or visitors found what they needed quickly (not always bad).
How does GA4 measure session duration differently?
GA4 can track 'engaged time' using its event-based model, measuring actual active time rather than just time between page loads. This is more accurate but requires proper setup. Check 'Average engagement time per session' in GA4.
Terms Related to Session Duration
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